This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/554,517, filed on Mar. 19, 2004.
The present invention is directed to a wall cabinet system, and more particularly to a bracket for interconnecting the side panels and shelves of a wall cabinet system.
Wall cabinet systems are well known as an aesthetically pleasing way to organize household items. These systems generally include four outer panels that are connected together to contain an organizing unit, such as a set of drawers, a shelving unit, or a stack of storage baskets. In order to provide a tidy appearance, the system is mounted to a wall a desired distance off of the floor.
In many cases, the organizing unit of a single wall cabinet system may be sectioned into a number of smaller units. For instance, a shelving unit may be stacked on top of a drawer unit to provide the consumer with options for organizing items.
Difficulties arise in the packaging of wall cabinet systems for sale to consumers, because many retailers limit the size and weight of any single container. These limits typically prevent large wall cabinet systems from being packaged in one piece, and in many cases they require dividing the outer panels into more manageable sizes. These limitations provide advantages for consumers, because the smaller units, such as a shelving unit and a drawer unit, can be sold separately. Each individual unit simply includes a pair of side panels, a top shelf forming an upper surface of the unit, and a bottom shelf forming a lower surface of the unit. Consumers can buy only the units that they want, and then connect them together as desired. Manufacturers must provide a means for connecting the individual units together. The connection means must add only a minimal cost for manufacturers, while making the connection of units as easy as possible for consumers.